Sony Steps In to Save Poetic License from Distribution Crisis

Maude Apatow's debut film, which garnered acclaim at the Toronto Film Festival, has escaped becoming a victim of its distribution company's crisis. Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the worldwide rights to Poetic License and announced that the film will hit theaters in 2027.

This deal is different from a typical festival film acquisition. Poetic License had a predetermined distributor and release schedule. When Row K's financial structure collapsed, the screening dates changed, the company withdrew from the rights, and the completed film had to search for a new buyer.

Row K Acquired the Film for $6.5 Million

Poetic License made its world premiere in September 2025 in the Special Presentations section of the Toronto Film Festival. The newly established independent distribution company Row K purchased the North American rights to the film for approximately $6.5 million after the screening.

The initial release date was set for May 15, 2026. The release was later postponed to October 16. However, the issue was not just a change in schedule. Row K was reported to be facing unpaid bills, outstanding service fees, and increasing financial obligations, with senior executives preparing to leave the company.

Although Row K claimed at the time that it had sufficient capital and continued to support its projects, it could not hold onto Poetic License. The rights reverted to the producers, and the film was put back on the market.

Sony Will Bring the Film to Theaters in 2027

Sony Pictures Classics' new agreement is not limited to U.S. distribution. The company has taken on the international distribution process for Poetic License by acquiring the worldwide rights to the film.

The exact release date has not yet been announced, but the theatrical release is planned for 2027. Thus, the 2026 dates announced during the Row K period have lost their validity.

Sony's move signifies more than just placing a completed film on a new schedule. The project transitioned from being a festival film with weakened screening prospects due to its previous distributor's crisis to joining the catalog of a well-established independent cinema company operating worldwide.

Two Friends Fall in Love with the Same Woman

The film, written by Raffi Donatich, focuses on the friendship of Sam and Ari, who are inseparable and in their final year of university. Their long-standing friendship turns into competition when they both begin to develop feelings for their former therapist Liz, who is attending poetry classes.

In the production, Leslie Mann plays Liz, while Cooper Hoffman and Andrew Barth Feldman portray the two close friends. The cast also includes Nico Parker, Maisy Stella, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Martha Kelly, Will Price, and Jake Bongiovi.

Maude Apatow Directed Her Mother

Poetic License is the first feature film directed by Maude Apatow, known for Euphoria. The film is also the first production of Jewelbox Pictures, a company Apatow established with Olivia Rosenbloom.

Apatow cast her mother, Leslie Mann, in the central role of Liz. After the premiere in Toronto, Mann shared that she felt safe in the working environment her daughter created on set and was proud to watch her direct.

Poetic License now has a new beginning in its cinematic journey. The film was shot, screened at a festival, and made its first distribution deal; however, it needed to change companies to reach the screen. With Sony Pictures Classics stepping in, the question facing the production is no longer “Will it be screened?” but “On what date will it be screened in 2027?”